The Sunday Telegraph - Sport

Vunipola steps out of his cousins’ shadow to deal Sale hopes a blow

- By Adam Hathaway at Allianz Park

Saracens may not be winning the Premiershi­p title after their automatic relegation, but Mark McCall’s side showed they could have a big say in the destinatio­n of the trophy with this convincing bonus-point win.

Sale stay in third place, but here was a lesson in playing against the big beasts of the Premiershi­p even though they will not be around next season.

Missing their England contingent, Saracens bossed the first half in pouring rain with Manu Vunipola, cousin of Billy and Mako, running the show into a howling gale. The England Under- 20s fly-half teamed up with scrum-half Tom Whiteley to pin the visitors in their own half on the back of a dominant performanc­e from the pack, as hooker Tom Woolstencr­oft excelled.

They were 14-10 up at the break, then scored 10 points in seven minutes to put the match to bed. Flanker Nick Isiekwe scored from a charge-down and Vunipola landed a 50-metre penalty with the wind at his back.

Sale scored a couple of late tries from Rob and Dan du Preez to ignite hopes of a bonus point, but they ran out of time. Saracens had nailed their fourth try with 12 minutes to go through prop Richard Barrington.

Anyone who thought Saracens have nothing to play for and would chuck the towel in – after being beaten 41-14 by Harlequins two weeks ago – can think again. McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, has spent the past couple of weeks sorting out players’ futures before the descent to the Championsh­ip, but is convinced their spirit will not die.

McCall said: “I said after the Quins game that that was the exception and not the rule. It had been a difficult week. That last three or four weeks have been difficult working out people’s circumstan­ces, but we are starting to emerge from that. They are players who enjoy one another, are committed to one another and you saw that on the field.” Sale were on the back foot once prop Rhys Carre stormed over from an overthrown line-out in the first minute, and Whiteley and Vunipola kept them at bay after that.

Director of rugby Steve Diamond said: “We are up there in scoring tries this year, but I just think we looked a bit rabbit in the headlights and we just didn’t play. We come from Manchester and it pours every day. There was just a bit more experience in their team to put us to the sword in the first half.

“You have got to turn up and put in a good performanc­e, and we didn’t today. Fair play to Saracens. Players come in and they stay in structure and they did that really well.”

Saracens received another blow this week when Allianz, their principal sponsor, said it was withdrawin­g its support and the RFU announced reduced funding for clubs in the Championsh­ip. It never rains but it pours for the Premiershi­p and European champions these days, and it was pouring when Carre opened the scoring.

Whiteley, with wind against, grub- ber-kicked for touch into the Sale 22 and when hooker Rob Webber overthrew the line-out, Carre picked the ball off the back and rampaged over.

Rob du Preez closed the gap with a penalty, but the boots of Vunipola and Alex Lozowski kept the visitors at arm’s length until they scored with their first attack of any note.

That came on the stroke of half-time, when No 8 Dan du Preez broke through the Saracens midfield and fed Rob to put wing Byron McGuigan over.

Wing Rotimi Segun showed a clean pair of heels for Saracens’ second, Isiekwe bagged the third and Barrington, off the bench, made the most of his pack’s dominance before Sale’s late rally.

 ??  ?? Family man: Manu Vunipola, cousin of Billy and Mako, controlled the game from stand-off
Family man: Manu Vunipola, cousin of Billy and Mako, controlled the game from stand-off

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